From Publishers Weekly
Single mom, part-time law student and overworked Ventura County probation officer Carolyn Sullivan is Rosenberg's (Mitigating Circumstances; Interest of Justice; etc.) latest heroine to find herself staring danger in the face. Sullivan's troubles begin when one of her probationers, Fast Eddie-whom she hasn't seen in months-rapes an eight-year-old girl. New parolee Daniel Metroix presents a different challenge: the brilliant schizophrenic might be innocent of the crime that put him in prison, the murder of the then police chief's son. Despite warnings from her ex-boyfriend boss, Sullivan investigates that 23-year-old crime as well as the former police chief, his family and his henchmen. After Metroix's hotel room explodes during Sullivan's visit, destroying his notes for what may be a brilliant invention, Metroix's enemies threaten Sullivan, too. Her career's in jeopardy, her life and children are in danger, and Sullivan has no one to turn to except the sympathetic judge who teaches her law class and the handsome professor who just moved to her neighborhood. Rosenberg uses her firsthand knowledge of law enforcement to create convincing sketches of criminal predators, mental patients and hardworking civil servants in this fast-paced romantic thriller. Often sacrificing authenticity for drama and subtlety for sentiment, Rosenberg crams her stories with coincidences (e.g., the professor teaches physics, which is also the hobby of Sullivan's 15-year-old son and Metroix). But readers will overlook these flaws, especially since Sullivan is so human and determined that it's almost impossible not to race to the end to see what happens to her next. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg introduces a new heroine, Caroline Sullivan, investigative probation officer, in this taut, razor-sharp thriller. Sandra Burr's staccato presentation of Sullivan's investigative skills moves this drama well beyond the written word. While her voice sometimes sounds strangely childlike for this take-charge heroine, she does deliver convincing competence when bombs explode, Caroline's life is threatened, and her son is kidnapped. Getting stronger as the story moves forward, Burr truly captures the author's tone and intent. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Lots of defense lawyers write legal fiction, hoping that their experience will bring the courtroom scenes to life and give authenticity to the depiction of attorney-client relationships. Rosenberg handles the legal arena just fine, but her experience as a cop and a probation officer give her work an additional layer of investigatory authenticity--especially this time, when her protagonist, Carolyn Sullivan, is a probation officer attending night school to become an attorney. Juggling her coursework and her job is hard enough, let alone having to worry about how she'll handle single parenthood with her preteen daughter and college-bound son. Carolyn's pressures only mount when one of her probationary charges, convicted killer and paranoid schizophrenic Daniel Metroix, is arrested for rape. Could better supervision have prevented this heinous crime? As Carolyn doubts her own abilities, she senses something real in Metroix's cries of innocence, relating not only to the rape but also to the murder that put him away more than 20 years ago. But no one wants to hear the law student's theories, so Carolyn has to take matters into her own hands in order to protect herself and, more importantly, her children. Rosenberg puts it all together here with another thoroughly believable heroine dealing with corruption, greed, deceit, and danger. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Monday mornings are hell.

That's what Carolyn Sullivan is thinking as she arrives at her office at the Ventura County Probation Department. One of her probationers has just been arrested for rape.

Just when Carolyn should be lying low, instead she's assigned a sensitive case that's sure to have everyone breathing down her neck - supervising convicted killer and paranoid schizophrenic Daniel Metroix.

Twenty-three years ago, the son of the police chief was pushed into the path of an oncoming car, and Metroix went to prison for the boy's murder. Everything in Metroix's file indicates that he's unpredictable and dangerous. But what's more unsettling is his claim that he's innocent - a claim that crawls under Carolyn's skin and stays there, especially when a routine meeting erupts into an inferno that nearly kills them both. Protecting him is Carolyn's only chance to defend herself and her family - and to right a wrong that may have sent an innocent man to prison, while letting a killer go free.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Single mom, part-time law student and overworked Ventura County probation officer Carolyn Sullivan is Rosenberg's (Mitigating Circumstances; Interest of Justice; etc.) latest heroine to find herself staring danger in the face. Sullivan's troubles begin when one of her probationers, Fast Eddie-whom she hasn't seen in months-rapes an eight-year-old girl. New parolee Daniel Metroix presents a different challenge: the brilliant schizophrenic might be innocent of the crime that put him in prison, the murder of the then police chief's son. Despite warnings from her ex-boyfriend boss, Sullivan investigates that 23-year-old crime as well as the former police chief, his family and his henchmen. After Metroix's hotel room explodes during Sullivan's visit, destroying his notes for what may be a brilliant invention, Metroix's enemies threaten Sullivan, too. Her career's in jeopardy, her life and children are in danger, and Sullivan has no one to turn to except the sympathetic judge who teaches her law class and the handsome professor who just moved to her neighborhood. Rosenberg uses her firsthand knowledge of law enforcement to create convincing sketches of criminal predators, mental patients and hardworking civil servants in this fast-paced romantic thriller. Often sacrificing authenticity for drama and subtlety for sentiment, Rosenberg crams her stories with coincidences (e.g., the professor teaches physics, which is also the hobby of Sullivan's 15-year-old son and Metroix). But readers will overlook these flaws, especially since Sullivan is so human and determined that it's almost impossible not to race to the end to see what happens to her next. Agent, Arthur Klebanoff. Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Mystery Guild selections. (May) Forecast: Nelson DeMille's not making a tough call when he notes on the back cover that Rosenberg's latest "will be another bestseller"-all of her novels have hit the lists. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile

Nancy Taylor Rosenberg introduces a new heroine, Caroline Sullivan, investigative probation officer, in this taut, razor-sharp thriller. Sandra Burr's staccato presentation of Sullivan's investigative skills moves this drama well beyond the written word. While her voice sometimes sounds strangely childlike for this take-charge heroine, she does deliver convincing competence when bombs explode, Caroline's life is threatened, and her son is kidnapped. Getting stronger as the story moves forward, Burr truly captures the author's tone and intent. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews